Sue Bonzell: It’s Sue Bonzell with Cow Chair Sessions where I highlight new up-and-coming country artists. Today, I get to introduce you to two very special people, Trey Smith and Jennifer Fielder from Smithfield.
Sue Bonzell: They have played with Brothers Osborne, Scotty McCreery, and Old Dominion, and they have a new song out called Something Sexy. Please welcome Jennifer Fielder and Trey Smith of Smithfield.
Jennifer Fielder: Hi, guys.
Trey Smith: Hey. What’s going on?
Jennifer Fiedler: Thank you so much for having us.
Sue Bonzell: Hi. I’m so happy you guys are here. Now, where are you guys calling in from? You guys are in Nashville, right?
Trey Smith: We are in Nashville, Tennessee.
Sue Bonzell: We’re here in the wine country, as you know, out here in California. Do you guys have a favorite wine?
Trey Smith: Oh, putting me in the spot.
Jennifer Fiedler: I’m not a super huge wine connoisseur, but I do love Malbec. Did I say that right?
Trey Smith: Malbec.
Sue Bonzell: Yeah.
Jennifer Fiedler: Malbec. That’s my Texan coming out.
Trey Smith: I like the Malbec.
Jennifer Fiedler: I like the Malbec.
Sue Bonzell: Here we like that Pinot Noir.
Jennifer Fiedler: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: You know that Peanut Nooooer!
Trey Smith: Pinot Noir.
Jennifer Fiedler: Yes.
Trey Smith: Yeah. Let’s go.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Well, we wish we were there with you in wine country.
Trey Smith:
I know. We were like, “Hey, can we just do an in-station visit so we can go do some wine tastings afterwards?”
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
Anytime. You guys come out here, anytime. I will wine and dine you out here in California. Not a problem.
Trey Smith:
Wine and dine has a different meaning out there, I’m sure.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. So you guys are originally both from Texas, and you’ve known each other for a very long time.
Trey Smith:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
Tell me that story of how you guys met and how you ended up as this amazing country duo.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah, absolutely. So Trey and I, we’ve known each other since we were 10 years old, and our families go back three generations. Grandparents went to high school together, parents went to high school together, and then our families did New Year’s Eve parties and 4th of July parties growing up. So we met at our family’s New Year’s Eve party when we were 10 and 12.
Sue Bonzell:
Oh my God.
Jennifer Fiedler:
And we were the family entertainment. The fireplace was our stage then. But we had never performed together. We always performed separately. And I grew up doing country music, and Trey grew up doing more rock and roll music.
Trey Smith:
But I love country.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes. So Keith Urban’s kind of what brought him to the country side.
Trey Smith:
Yeah. Brought me to the countryside.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes. So in college, we had known each other our whole lives, but had never sung together. And Trey’s rock band had broken up, and I was thinking of moving to Nashville. So Trey and I wanted to try singing together. And actually, our grandparents are the reason why we’re together, and Trey’s cousin, because we didn’t want to let our families down and not at least try it. But when he came over, we just discovered that we had these beautiful harmonies, and the blend of our vocals is what drew us to want to pursue it for a career. And we moved to Nashville.
Sue Bonzell:
That is awesome. How long have you been out in Nashville?
Trey Smith:
Ooh, do we have to say? No. We’ve been out at Nashville, it’ll be our nine year Nash anniversary in June.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
Very nice. I like that. Now, I mentioned you guys played with Old Dominion and Scotty McCreery. What was that experience like?
Trey Smith:
Man, it’s so fun opening for those guys, because it’s great to feed off the energy of the crowd that they bring. With Brothers Osborne, it’s interesting, you have to cater to each crowd, because every crowd is different, depending on the artists that you’re opening for. But always a great experience. Those guys were so nice and accommodating every time we opened for them and just really willing to let us get out there and do our thing.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah. I feel like those opening slots is what has helped us build an organic fan base, too. So we’re always so appreciative to be in front of those guys, because then we walk away with Smithfield fans.
Trey Smith:
Hopefully.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes, hopefully.
Sue Bonzell:
Absolutely. I mean, any good stories from backstage that you guys can share, that maybe we want to hear about?
Trey Smith:
Ooh, I have one.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Okay, go.
Trey Smith:
We were actually opening for Kane Brown in Ohio. When you’re on stage, you have ground monitors so you can hear yourself sing and stuff. And our bassist came backstage, and he just goes, “Hey, guys, I have bad news. The ground monitors are completely dead.” And this was about two minutes before we were supposed to go on. So he just goes and then just walks back on stage, and he’s like, “Good luck.” We go on stage and just play the entire show, and we can’t hear anything.
Jennifer Fiedler:
This was in front of 10,000 people.
Trey Smith:
In front of 10,000 people. And it was the most rock and roll, just go for it show we’ve ever had. We were just like, “Whatever, just get out there and do it.”
Sue Bonzell:
Exactly. At that point, just go.
Trey Smith:
Yeah. It was terrifying.
Sue Bonzell:
I’m sure it was terrifying.
Trey Smith:
But it was great, too.
Sue Bonzell:
I did read that you guys have both performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage before.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
Now, I don’t know that that was both of you together. Tell me about that.
Trey Smith:
Yeah.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Definitely us together. Smithfield made, their debut, our debut, I’m speaking in third person-
Trey Smith:
Yeah, we’re not that big yet.
Jennifer Fiedler:
… in 2016 and just really grateful to the Opry, because they really helped start and launch things for us early on. So we’ve been able to perform there, I guess, now 32 times over the years.
Trey Smith:
Yeah.
Jennifer Fiedler:
And they continue to have us back, so we must be doing something right.
Trey Smith:
They still let us in.
Sue Bonzell:
Absolutely. Yeah. You still have a key? All right. That’s good.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah.
Trey Smith:
At least as far as I know.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, it’s funny. So ever since I found you guys on… I actually found you guys on Tik Tok.
Trey Smith:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
So now every time I go to the grocery store, I think of you. And I have to ask a really easy question, are you making fans?
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Trey Smith:
So we have gotten that question so many times. The answer is always yes.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah, so many texts from friends.
Trey Smith:
Answer is always yes.
Jennifer Fiedler:
I’ve gotten texts like, “Just saw you at the grocery store today,” and then a picture of bacon, and we’re like, “Ha Ha, yeah.”
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah, you’re like [crosstalk 00:05:59].
Jennifer Fiedler:
But also we’ve performed for Smithfield, the bacon and ham company. So the show was…
Sue Bonzell:
Really?
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes. We’ve done a couple of private events for them, and it was like Smithfield presents Smithfield.
Trey Smith:
Yeah. It was a match made in heaven.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
That is a great headline. I love that. Okay, I wasn’t original. But I do think about you every time I go to the grocery store, so that’s a good thing.
Trey Smith:
That’s our marketing plan, just get inside your head every time you go shopping.
Sue Bonzell:
Exactly. Hey, why not? I mean, your name’s right out there. It’s right there in the bacon aisle. It’s awesome.
Trey Smith:
That’s all I’m trying to say.
Sue Bonzell:
So now, you guys, together as a duo, you don’t have a lead singer, you share that spotlight, you guys share your song writing together. So tell me a little bit about your song writing process.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah. I mean, well, Trey, you can go on your angle, and I’ll go on mine.
Sue Bonzell:
Sure.
Jennifer Fiedler:
But typically, one of us… We always try to come in to the writer’s room with an idea, and we feel like our best songs are our own stories that are personal to us. And Trey has a gift for melodies, so sometimes I have a great title or idea, but I don’t necessarily have the great magic melody that goes along with it. So we make a great team in the writer’s room. That’s not to say that Trey doesn’t come in with awesome ideas, too. We always… In Nashville, it’s really big to co-write with other people, so it’s really awesome to have that community here. But you have to be very vulnerable. So that’s hard to go into a room and just spill your guts out to people, but we do it all the time, and we’ve fallen in love with that process. And Trey, if I’ve missed anything that you love about it, please, please share.
Trey Smith:
Yeah. I mean, I love to write, it’s always been one of my passions. And we always go into the room and start a conversation, because that’s where most songs come from.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah.
Trey Smith:
They come from conversations. They don’t come from like, “I want to write this today.”
Sue Bonzell:
Exactly.
Trey Smith:
Usually.
Sue Bonzell:
Right. And that’s the authenticity piece. And it’s always when you’re having those conversations where something comes up and you go, “Wait a minute. That would be awesome. Let’s go with that.”
Trey Smith:
Totally.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah. Yes.
Trey Smith:
Yes. Absolutely. But I mean, a lot of times I just sit right here in this room and try to just think about conversations I’ve had and write it down or do something with it.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, you guys wrote a new song, Something Sexy. That’s the one that I found on Tik Tok.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Trey Smith:
Yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
I love it, because it’s kind of a song that’s like setting the mood for being at home for a little intimate night with your loved one at home, which we all did for months and months and months.
Jennifer Fiedler:
A year.
Trey Smith:
Right.
Sue Bonzell:
Yes.
Trey Smith:
Got tired of him by the end of it.
Sue Bonzell:
Well, yeah. Hopefully, you picked a good one.
Trey Smith:
Yeah, yeah.
Sue Bonzell:
What I love about this song, and this is why I’m saying like, “Okay, this is how you write a good country song. You bring in the masters.”
Jennifer Fiedler:
Thank you.
Sue Bonzell:
So I just have to read… I have the whole list right here. You mention it by name, the country artists, Tim and Faith, obviously, Eric Church and Chris Young.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sue Bonzell:
Those names come… We’re like, “Yes, we love you. We love you.”
Trey Smith:
Yeah. [crosstalk 00:09:03]
Sue Bonzell:
But then, you’ve got these subtle references to some song names that include Rascal Flatts, John Michael Montgomery, Lonestar, Keith Urban, and Jason Aldean. Did I miss any?
Jennifer Fiedler:
Ooh.
Trey Smith:
Ooh. You’re getting some inside scoop here. So we have Come A Little Closer by Dierks Bentley.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Dierks Bentley.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah, there you go. Dierks.
Trey Smith:
There was one other one too.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Keith Whitley.
Trey Smith:
Keith Whitley. Don’t Close Your Eyes.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Don’t Close Your Eyes.
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah. Okay. That’s a classic. So I love that you have brought all of that in, and that actually is an amazing Something Sexy soundtrack.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell:
I would love it if you guys wanted to play that song, or maybe you have a new song you’d like to play for us today.
Trey Smith:
We can play that song.
Jennifer Fiedler:
We can make that happen.
Trey Smith:
We can make Something Sexy happen.
Jennifer Fiedler:
There’s a guitar around here.
Sue Bonzell:
All right.
Trey Smith:
Look. Oh, I’m so unprepared.
Jennifer Fiedler:
A couple.
Trey Smith:
As I pull-
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, look, there’s a guitar.
Trey Smith:
Here’s a guitar. I mean, we’re in a studio, so this works. Yeah, we can put that one. Let’s do it.
Sue Bonzell:
Awesome.
Trey Smith:
Y’all ready?
Sue Bonzell:
Ready.
Trey Smith:
Here we go.
Jennifer Fiedler:
(singing).
Trey Smith:
(singing).
Sue Bonzell:
Oh, that is… I have chills. Thank you, guys, so much for playing that song.
Trey Smith:
Of course.
Sue Bonzell:
That was so amazing. All right. We’re opening up here in 2021. Any gigs or touring that you guys can share with us where we can find you?
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yeah. We actually have our first gig out on the road since the pandemic this Saturday in Atlanta, Georgia at a famous place called Eddie’s Attic. So that’s going to be our acoustic show. And then we have an EP coming out in June. So we’re going to do a big EP release show here in Nashville, June the 17th. I’m sure we’ll have some more Opry performances coming up, and then we’re talking about what we’re going to be doing this fall on the road, whether we go out just on our own or if we’ll be joining another act. So please follow us at Smithfield Music in order to keep up with where we’re going to be at on the road.
Sue Bonzell:
That is fantastic. I hope to catch you guys live somewhere sometime very, very soon. I want to thank you so much for being part of this today. And like I said, I’ll see you soon.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes.
Trey Smith:
Yes.
Jennifer Fiedler:
In person, hopefully.
Trey Smith:
Thank you, Sue, for having us.
Jennifer Fiedler:
Yes. And thank you for playing Something Sexy. We’ll always remember you as the first. Always.
Trey Smith:
Yes.
Sue Bonzell: Thank you. It’s my pleasure.
Trey Smith: Thank you guys so much.
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